Pope County Justice of the Peace District 6, 11 candidate Q&ADistrict 6 candidates • Mary Metz-Blaylock Why are you seeking this position? It has been a privilege and an honor for me to serve the citizens of Pope County as Justice of the Peace for District 6. If re-elected I will continue working to closely manage the county budget, trying to appropriately fund the various departments without increasing the tax burden to the citizens of Pope County. What will you bring to the position that your opponent...

Senate hopefuls make nice in final ads LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor and Republican Rep. Tom Cotton tried Friday to put a happy face on one of the most bitterly fought Senate races in the country, unveiling a new batch of positive TV ads as they head into the final days of the campaign. Pryor's campaign announced four new television ads it would begin airing around the state, while Cotton's announced it would air a 14-minute biographical documentary about the G...

Plea hearing set for Lafayette County treasurer LEWISVILLE (AP) — A change-of-plea hearing is scheduled for the Lafayette County treasurer, who's charged with embezzling public money. The Texarkana Gazette reported that Keesha Rose is due in court next Wednesday. Her attorney, Steve Harrelson, says Rose will change her plea to guilty in the case. Rose was indicted earlier this year on two counts of theft from a program receiving federal funds in excess of at least $5,000. A legislative audi...

Southside community allowed to incorporate BATESVILLE (AP) — A group that opposes the annexation of the Southside community just south of Batesville into the city of Batesville has been granted a request to incorporate as a city. Independence County Judge Robert Griffin on Friday approved the incorporation request by Keep Southside Free From Annexation. "I anticipate this will go to (circuit) court either way I rule," Griffin said during the hearing before announcing his decision. "Abs...

Womack faces easy path in House re-election bid LITTLE ROCK (AP) — With no Democratic rival on the ballot and facing only a third-party candidate who's says he's running a "zero dollar" campaign, Republican U.S. Rep. Steve Womack has an easy path to a third term representing northwest Arkansas in Congress next year. But, running in his second election in a row where he won't have a Democratic challenger, Womack insists he's not looking at launching a bid for statewide office after raising h...

Judge won't stop Fayetteville bias-law vote FAYETTEVILLE (AP) — A judge in Washington County has dismissed a lawsuit that aimed to stop an upcoming special election on a non-discrimination measure in Fayetteville. The special election is set for Dec. 9 on the measure, which prohibits specific types of discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. A lawsuit had been filed challenging the ballot language of the proposal. The lawsuit was dismissed Thursday. The Fayettevil...

Gubernatorial parties omittedThe Pope County Election Commission discussed how to address an error on electronic voting machines during an emergency meeting Wednesday afternoon. Around 5 p.m. Tuesday, a poll worker told Election Coordinator Sherry Polsgrove that a voter mentioned they did not see the political parties listed for the four gubernatorial candidates on the electronic voting machines. Polsgrove said she double-checked the screenshots that were sent to her by E...

Candidates address county's Republican PartyMayoral candidates Martin Irwin and Randy Horton and Russellville City Council Ward 1, Position 1 candidate Mark Tripp addressed the Republican Party of Pope County (RPPC) before its meeting on Tuesday. The RPPC said mayoral candidate Tyrone Williamson declined to appear and Russellville City Council Ward 1, Position 1 candidate Jeff Wright was not invited because of an error. Alderwoman Freddie Harris, who introduced the candidates and led th...

Witt, Westerman seek southern Arkansas House seat LITTLE ROCK (AP) — The race for a southern Arkansas congressional seat is pitting a longtime Democratic figure and friend of former President Bill Clinton against a legislator who has been a key leader in Republicans' recent rise in the state. Former Federal Emergency Management Agency Director James Lee Witt and state Rep. Bruce Westerman are vying for the 4th District seat, which also includes portions of western Arkansas. The two major part...

Cotton reports raising nearly $1M in early October LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Republican U.S. Rep. Tom Cotton's campaign says he raised nearly $1 million over the first two weeks of the month in his bid to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor in Arkansas. Cotton's campaign said Wednesday he'll report raising roughly $985,000 between Oct. 1 and Oct. 15 in his pre-election campaign finance report, which is due Thursday. Cotton's campaign said he spent more than $2.1 million during the same period and ...

No ID required to voteWith early voting underway, it's important to clear up any misconceptions people have about voting laws. One law that people have expressed confusion over is whether or not voters must show ID in order to vote. The answer is simple — no. How lawmakers got to that answer was anything but simple, which is probably why so many people remain uncertain. In 2013, the Arkansas legislature overrode a veto by Gov. Mike Beebe to approve the Voter ID law...

Russellville City Council Candidate Q&AWard 1, Position 1 candidates Mark Tripp Why are you seeking this position? I love Russellville. This is my hometown. I was born and raised in this community. My wife, Laura Beth, and I have four children, who all attend Russellville public schools. She and I are both graduates of Russellville High School, and I am an alum of Arkansas Tech University. I am passionately dedicated to Russellville and truly believe that we live in one of the best...

Early voting starts MondayEarly voting for the 2014 general election begins at 8 a.m. Monday at the Pope County Election Headquarters on East Main Street in Russellville. People who want to cast their votes early can do so from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays beginning Monday and continuing through Nov. 1. Early voting will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Nov. 3. Because of a decision by the Arkansas Supreme Court on Wednesday...

Trial date delayed for Greene County justice PARAGOULD (AP) — The felony battery trial of a Greene County justice of the peace is being delayed by a month and moved to a neighboring county. The defense attorney for Justice Ronnie Wood told the Paragould Daily Press that Woods' scheduled court appearance has been moved from Monday until Nov. 20 and will be in Craighead County. Defense attorney Brad Broadaway said Woods can either go to trial or plead guilty. Broadaway would not say if Woo...

Former president campaigns for Democrats in Hope HOPE (AP) — Former President Bill Clinton made a stop in his southwest Arkansas birthplace Saturday during his latest campaign swing through the state on behalf of Democratic candidates. Clinton was joined at the Hope train depot by the party's gubernatorial nominee, former U.S. Rep. Mike Ross; U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor; and 4th Congressional District candidate James Lee Witt. Clinton also encouraged the crowd to turn out and cast ballots in the mi...

Atkins water supervisor resigns ATKINS — Willie Harvill, Atkins Water Works supervisor, announced during Tuesday’s regular City Council meeting that he will retire on Jan. 15, 2015, which will also mark his 50th anniversary. Harvill’s announcement came after he gave council members and Mayor Jerry Don Barrett a page of issues and said the past few months have been “very discouraging” for water employees. Among the issues Harvill cited were an imbalanced pay scale and a commu...

Clinton returns to Arkansas to boost Democrats HOT SPRINGS (AP) — Bill Clinton kicked off his second campaign swing through Arkansas this month on Friday, as the former president aggressively delved into his home state's politics to boost a slate of candidates with whom he boasts longstanding ties. Speaking to a rally in his boyhood home of Hot Springs, the former Arkansas governor praised Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Pryor, gubernatorial nominee Mike Ross and congressional hopeful James Lee ...

Attorney general rejects marijuana plan LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel has rejected the proposed wording of a prospective ballot item that would let voters decide whether to legalize marijuana in the state. McDaniel's office on Friday rejected the proposal offered by Mary Berry because of ambiguities in the text of the measure and tells Berry to "redesign" both the proposal and the ballot title. McDaniel has approved two other marijuana-related ballot p...

Pryor: Work together to prevent Ebola spread LITTLE ROCK (AP) — Sen. Mark Pryor says that rather than pointing fingers about what has gone wrong in the nation's Ebola response, the country should work together to keep the virus from spreading. At a news conference in his Senate office Friday, Pryor suggested travel restrictions for non-citizens who have visited three west Africa countries recently. He also wants the nation to consider quarantines and improve the sharing of information am...

US judge won't delay Arkansas marriage lawsuit LITTLE ROCK (AP) — A federal judge has denied Arkansas' request to delay proceedings in a lawsuit challenging the state's constitutional ban on gay marriage. Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel earlier this year asked the court to put the case on hold until the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a case involving Utah's gay marriage ban. Last week, the high court declined to consider appeals in that case and four others. On Friday, U.S. District...